An Overview of High Blood Pressure& Its Risk Factors
HBP risk factors at a glance:
There are many factors and variations that can put you at greater risk for developing high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension). Understanding these dangers can help you to determine how high your blood pressure can be.
Risk factors related to identity
Common genetic and physiological symptoms of hypertension include:
- Family history If your parents or other close relatives have high blood pressure, you are more likely to get it yourself.
- Age The older you are, the more likely you are to get high blood pressure. As we grow older, our blood vessels gradually lose their elasticity, which can contribute to elevated blood pressure. However, children can also develop high blood pressure. Learn more about children with high blood pressure.
- Gender Up to 64 years of age, men are more likely to have high blood pressure than women. 65 years and older, women are more likely to have high blood pressure. Learn more about women with high blood pressure.
- African-American racism tends to develop high blood pressure more often than people of any racial background in the United States. It is also very difficult for African Americans, and some drugs are less effective in treating HBP in blacks. Learn more about African-American people and high blood pressure.
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) HBP can occur due to kidney disease. Also, having HBP can also cause ongoing kidney damage.
Flexible risk factors
Here are some common risk factors to help prevent and control high blood pressure, including:
- Lack of exercise: Not getting enough physical activity as part of your lifestyle increases your chances of getting high blood pressure. Physical activity is good for your heart and the circulatory system in general, and blood pressure is low. Learn more about getting regular exercise.
- Unhealthy foods, especially high in sodium: Healthy foods from a variety of sources are important to your health. Foods that are high in salt intake, as well as calories, saturated fats and sugars, have an increased risk of high blood pressure. On the other hand, choosing a healthy diet can help lower blood pressure. Learn more about improving your diet.
- Obesity or overweight: Being overweight puts stress on your heart and circulatory system which can cause serious health problems. It also increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Learn more about managing your weight.
- Excessive alcohol consumption: Regular consumption of alcohol can lead to many health problems, including heart failure, stroke and arrhythmia. It can cause your blood pressure to rise dramatically and can also increase your risk of cancer, obesity, alcoholism, suicide, and accidents. Learn more about alcohol, high blood pressure, and the importance of moderation.
- Sleep apnea: Sleep apnea may increase the risk of developing HBP and is common in people with resistant hypertension.
- High cholesterol: More than half of people with HBP also have high cholesterol.
- Diabetes: Many people with diabetes also have HBP.
- Smoking and tobacco use: Tobacco use can cause your blood pressure to rise temporarily and can damage damaged arteries. Secondhand smoke, exposure to secondhand smoke, also increases the risk of heart disease in nonsmokers. Learn more about quitting.
- Depression: Depression is not a bad thing in itself. But too much pressure can contribute to the increase in blood pressure. Also, high levels of stress may promote behaviors that increase blood pressure, such as poor eating habits, inactivity, and the use of tobacco or alcohol. Economic status and stress can affect access to basic necessities of life, medication, health care providers, and the ability to make healthy lifestyle changes. Learn more about managing your stress.
When current medical conditions cause high blood pressure
A small number of cases of high blood pressure are secondary hypertension - high blood pressure caused by another pre-existing medical condition. Examples include high blood pressure (PIH), heart failure, and kidney failure. Usually, if the condition that causes high blood pressure is not resolved, the individual's blood pressure will be normal as well. In many discussions on this page and throughout this site, we refer to high blood pressure, high blood pressure for no apparent reason. Most people with high blood pressure have a form of high blood pressure.
What to Do if You Have High Blood Pressure
1. Lose your weight and look at your waist
Blood pressure often rises as the weight rises. Obesity can also cause sleep disturbances during sleep (sleep apnea), which further raises blood pressure.
Weight loss will be followed by fatigue and constant tiredness. Losing even the slightest weight loss if you are overweight or obese can help lower blood pressure. Generally, you can lower your blood pressure by about 1 millimeter of mercury (mm Hg) per kilogram (approximately 2.2 kilograms) of weight loss.
In addition to losing weight, you should usually also look at your waist. Carrying too much weight on your hips can put you at greater risk for high blood pressure.
Usually:
- Men are at risk if their waist circumference is more than 40 centimeters (102 centimeters).
- Women are at risk if their waist circumference is greater than 35 centimeters (89 centimeters).
2. Exercise regularly
Regular exercise - like 150 minutes a week, or about 30 minutes most days a week - can lower your blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. It is important to be consistent because if you stop exercising, your blood pressure can rise again.
If you have high blood pressure, exercise can help you to avoid high blood pressure. If you already have hypertension, regular exercise can lower your blood pressure to safe levels.
Other examples of aerobic exercise that you can try to lower blood pressure include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or dancing. You can also try high-intensity training, which includes alternating short bursts of intense activity and subsequent recovery periods of light work. Strength training can also help lower blood pressure. Plan to include strength exercises for at least two days a week. Talk to your doctor about making an exercise program.
3. Eat a healthy diet
Eating whole grain foods, fruits, vegetables and dairy products with low fat and skimps on saturated fats and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 11 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. This diet plan is known as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.
It is not easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips you can get healthy eating:
- Keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat, or just one week, can brighten up your actual eating habits. See what you are eating, how much, when and why.
- Consider increasing potassium. Potassium can reduce the effects of sodium on blood pressure. An excellent source of potassium foods, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Talk to your doctor about the potassium level that is best for you.
- Be a smart shopper. Read food labels when shopping and stick to your healthy eating plan when eating out, too.
4. Reduce sodium in your diet
Even a small reduction in sodium in your diet can improve your heart health and lower blood pressure by about 5 to 6 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure.
The effect of sodium intake on blood pressure varies between groups of people. Generally, reduce sodium to 2,300 milligrams a day or less. However, a low sodium diet - 1,500 mg a day or less - is fine for most adults.
To reduce sodium in your diet, consider the following tips:
- Read food labels. If possible, choose other low-sized foods and beverages you usually buy.
- Eat a few processed foods. Only a small amount of sodium naturally occurs in food. Most of the sodium was added during processing.
- Do not add salt. Just 1 teaspoon of salt contains 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs or spices to add flavor to your diet.
- Easy for it. If you do not feel you can reduce the amount of sodium in your diet suddenly, gradually reduce it. Your eye will be repaired over time.
5. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink
Alcohol can be good and bad for your health. By drinking alcohol in moderation - usually one drink a day for women, or two a day for men - you can lower your blood pressure by about 4 mm Hg. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80 ounces of beer.
But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol.
Drinking too much alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by a few points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.
6. Stop smoking
Each cigarette you smoke increases your blood pressure for several minutes after you quit. Quitting smoking helps your blood pressure to return to normal. Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your quality of life. People who quit smoking can live longer than people who never quit.
7. Reduce caffeine
The role of caffeine in blood pressure is still debated. Caffeine can raise blood pressure up to 10 mm Hg in people who rarely consume it. But people who regularly drink coffee may experience little or no blood pressure.
Although the long-term effects of caffeine on blood pressure are unclear, it is possible that blood pressure may rise slightly.
To see if caffeine raises blood pressure, check your blood pressure within 30 minutes and drink a caffeinated beverage. If your blood pressure rises by 5 to 10 mm Hg, you may experience high blood pressure that elevates the effects of caffeine. Talk to your doctor about the effects of caffeine on your blood.
8. Reduce your stress
Chronic stress can cause high blood pressure. More research is needed to determine the effects of chronic hypertension. Occasional depression can also cause high blood pressure if you respond to stress by eating unhealthy foods, drinking alcohol, or smoking.
Take time to think about the things that make you feel stressed, such as work, family, finances, or illness. Once you have identified the cause of your depression, think about how you can reduce or eliminate it.
If you can't handle all of your stress, you can at least deal with it in a healthy way. Try to:
- Change your expectations. For example, plan your day and focus on what is most important to you. Avoid trying to do too much and learn not to. Understand that there are some things you cannot change or control, but you can focus on how you react to them.
- Focus on issues that you can control and work out solutions. If you have a problem at work, try talking to your boss. If you and your spouse have a serious disagreement, do not give up.
- Avoid stress. Try to avoid triggers when you can. For example, if high-speed traffic on the way to work causes stress, try traveling early in the morning, or taking public transportation. Avoid people who will cause you stress if possible.
- Take time to relax and do activities you enjoy. Take time each day to sit quietly and breathe deeply. Schedule time for fun activities or hobbies in your schedule, such as hiking, cooking or volunteering.
- Practice gratitude. Expressing gratitude to others can help reduce your stress.
9. Monitor your blood pressure at home and see your doctor regularly
Monitoring at home can help you keep tabs on your blood pressure, make sure your lifestyle changes are working, and keep you and your doctor informed of current health problems. Blood pressure monitors are widely available and without a prescription. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring before you start.
Regular visits to your doctor are also key to controlling your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is well controlled, check with your doctor how much you need to check it. Your doctor may recommend daily checkups or less often. If you make any changes to your medication or other treatment options, your doctor may recommend that you check your blood pressure starting two weeks after the change of treatment and one week before your next appointment.
10. Get support
Family and supportive friends can help improve your health. They can encourage you to take care of yourself, take them to the doctor's office or start an exercise program to keep your blood pressure low.
If you find that you need more support than your family and friends, consider joining a support group. This can put you in touch with people who can encourage you emotionally or morally and who can give you practical advice on how to deal with your situation.
How to Manage Your Medications for Better Health
Older adults take more prescription drugs than anyone else. Remembering to start treatment early can be a challenge, so if you are taking multiple doses several times a day, it can be difficult.
Medication management plays an important role in managing health. Missing skip or misuse can be very dangerous. If you are a caregiver to a loved one, that person relies on you to make sure you take the medication they need to take when they have to take it.
Here at LifeSource Home Health, our skilled, licensed nurses are experts in medical management. Here are our top five tips to help you manage your medication or that of your loved one.
1. Put money in a pill box or delivery machine
Although it is a common solution, many people start prescription drugs without thinking that they will need a pill box. These boxes are marked daily (M Monday, T Tuesday, etc.) and have seven locations seven days a week. Some may have 30 to 31 rooms to cover the entire month.
Another way to take medication is to make sure you do not end up unexpectedly planning a few days or weeks ahead of time. Pill boxes are a great way to keep your medication organized and remind you of when it may be time to complete the instructions.
Pill boxes come in a variety of sizes, colors, and shapes, but if you're not sure what to get, ask your doctor or pharmacist what might work best for your medication. Just make sure that whatever you choose, the room is big enough to fit all your given pills.
Similarly, you can invest in an automatic dispenser, which can be set to deliver your medication at a set time each day. Some may even catch you or take care of you if the meds missed that day. This varies in price and performance but it is worth investing in if you find yourself forgetting, even if you have a box of pills.
2. Set reminders
While a pill box can help you stay organized, a reminder is an extra step that can ensure you stay on track.
If an adult does not have a smartphone, alarm clocks and other reminder programs make for both good gifts and useful tools. If they do, setting a reminder on their phone is another easy and effective way to set reminders. Caregivers can set similar reminders for themselves.
Some reminder devices are sold mainly for adults - this allows you to set reminders in any language and at any time, several times a day. For caregivers, devices like this remove the "nag" element from normal operations. This allows you to focus on the more important things, such as quality time with your loved one. However, you do not need a device that is specifically marketed to adults. A multi-alarm clock is another simple, inexpensive option that is easy to use and operate.
3. If possible, use one pharmacy
While it may be easy to go to the nearest drug store after a doctor's appointment or to stay at a hospital pharmacy before you are discharged, it is best to have all your orders filled out at the same pharmacy. While you can transfer orders between pharmacies, data can be lost through transfers or delays. This can cause delays in refilling.
Most pharmacists today have an electronic record of all the instructions a patient has completed, making it easy to identify a combination of “red flag” drugs that can cause problems.
4. Store your medication well and take it as recommended
Most drugs have final instructions. While most people just want to stay in a dry, cool place, some necessities should be refrigerated. Marking these things in the area where you will see them is important. Your bathroom, which is hot and humid when you bathe or shower, is not a really good place to store your medicine. A living room or bedroom can be a better option.
Your doctor and pharmacist can pass you the prescription. Take the right amount, at the recommended time. Know whether you should take your medication without food or water. If you are drinking alcohol, find out if it is safe to do so while taking your medication. Ask what you should do if you miss a dose by mistake - take it if you remember, or skip a dose if you are too close to the next? Remember: never stop taking a prescription or change the dose without first discussing it with your health care provider.
5. Review your treatment with your doctor regularly
Are there any drugs you should not take? Would your two or more medications be dangerous if taken together? Do you have any side effects such as dizziness or nausea? Talk to one health care provider about all the over-the-counter medications you do not offer— the annual “spring cleaning” of your medicine cabinet is a great option. This includes herbs and ingredients. Bring a list of your medications or bring all your pills bottles with their labels.
Whether you are on medication or your loved one's medication, routine planning and equipment can reduce a lot of medication-related stress. The care of skilled nurses at LifeSource Home can help you manage your medication safely and effectively, so you don't have to worry about remembering it alone.